Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-06-18

Mr.. Ames felt very tranquil in spirit,
as he leiSurely assembled the church
steps, just in time for the opening an,
them. As he leaned back in his seat
and glanced over the crowded house,
he said 10 himself that he. for one, was
glad they were going TO have a steady
pastor, and he was going to do his best
to encourage him. He'd get intro
duccd after service and invite him up
TO dinner tomorrow. He nudSed his
wife and confded To her this resolve,
and she said twas Just the thing
He craned his neck around 10 get a
sight of the new man, but the desk
completely hid him from view, - he
sat in the large pulpit chair, resting
his head on one shapely hand.
With the last notes Of the anthem,
Mrs, Gilkey sailed down the aislcin all
the glory Of her new bonnet, while the
husband followed at q respectful dis
lance behind the swaying plumes and
spreading brim. Mrs Ames whispered
10 her husband that 'twould be just
like the Gilkeys to try 10 get in ahead
with the minister, that woman was so
pushing. He must remember and
speak to the minister right after church.
The choir sat down with q tlutter
and giggle. There was a brief pause.
Then the preacher advanced to the
desk and announced the hymn. As
the mellow tones of his voice
foated out over their heads the
waiting congregation smiled gracious
approval. But what was it made Mr..
Ames start 80 violently at the first
words Of the reader. stare hard at the
desk and sink back into his seat with
an expression Of blank di>may2 Mr..
Gilkcy observed it from where he >at
and wondered what il meant. One
look at the minister told the story.
H wa, the stranger who had shared
Mr.. Ames seat in the cars the night
betore'
The ,~ubsequen; proceeding, were
trau-hr with painful inteye,, for At
least Two # tina, audience. Mrs. Ames
whispered to her husband that She no.
ticed that Mrs. DR.. Holmes wore a new
,es.>ain. but BE- needed her not, and
when the congregation rose to >inE. he
sep, his seat, despite tina; .lady- re-
proving look. He stole a turtiye glance
at Mr.. G!lkey to see how he bore it,
That gentleman, after some discussion
wiki hi, wife. arose, and held the book
for her during the hymn, but he hung
hi, head and looked crushed in spirit.
Mr., Gilaey on the contrary, carried
her head and the new bonnet with con-
,e,ou, dignity and sang like a robin.
To Nj. .Ames excited Imagination
tAa, service wa, ten hour, long, al
though the clock only indicated an
hour and q half. Brandon had not
heaul such q sermon for many a day:
but Mr. Ame,, ala. couldn't have told
q word there wa, in il. He counted
the pipe, in the organ. the crystals on
tho chandeliers, the panes Of glas. in
the windows. in hi, frantic attempts
TO make the time pass. But every time
he returned from some ah>tru,e nume-
rical calculation only to hear the elo-
guent tones Il the preacher and behold
the people hanging in rap, attention on
every word.
Mr.. Ames did not wait to be intro
iuced to the minister after the service.
Far from il. H. d,hel his hat out from
under the seat with unwonted alarcity,
and made for the door, looking neither
TO the left nor right.
That was a powerful sermon we've
just heard, wasn't it, Brother Ames?"
Elder Stancli.t, stepping softly
ont into the aisle. "Such depth and
profuudity Of thought, such"
H"' n" A- -s~H.s5 poo, h.a, --:.l
ayertcd gaze and pretended not to
hear.
He iammed his hat down over his
eye, and shot out Of the door with
more haste than dignity. On the corr
ner he stopped and waited for his wife,
who demanded ,tcrnly how he supposed
a mar was going to conn up to
dinner if he wasn't invited? And he
told her, candidly, he was sure he
didn't know,
Monday night the church had a meet
ing at which they unanimously voted to
give Mr.. Grant a call. But what was
their surprise on rendering him the
~pastorate, to find it promptly and posi-
declined. He said he felt that
the responsibilities Of the charge would
be too great forhis humble powers.
Vain were persuasion and argument.
He was firm, and some of the commit
tee suggested, sadly, they were afraid
he had ''heard something
The fold is still without a shepherd.
The weeds grow lauk and tall in the
parsonage yard, the house is empty
and 50 are the pews OF Sunday morn.
ings. And still the candidates come
and 90, and report says the people are
harder to suit than cyer.-LowcH Daily
Courier.
GREAT WATERWAYS